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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28303359">I Did It My Way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla'>katayla</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Women (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Professor Bhaer isn't real, Yuletide Treat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:40:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28303359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Professor Bhaer made for a convenient husband.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>josephine march/ofc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Yuletide 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Did It My Way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophiahelix/gifts">sophiahelix</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"And will your husband be joining us for dinner?" The gentlemen across the table asked. Jo was in New York and Mr. Dashwood had invited her to dinner. He'd told her that he only invited his most successful authors, but his winning argument had been that his daughters insisted on meeting her.</p>
<p>"I'm afraid he's been delayed," Jo said.</p>
<p>Professor Bhaer was a wonderful husband. He brought money to the marriage, was there when Jo needed him, and disappeared when she did not. Really, her editor was a brick to have suggested him.</p>
<p>"I have a feeling," Ida, Mr. Dashwood's sister, said, "that your husband is quite often delayed."</p>
<p>"I'm afraid that sometimes he does not show up at all," Jo said gravely. Ida winked at her and Jo startled and nearly knocked over her water glass.</p>
<p>"I did so enjoy your novel," Ida said. She held Jo's eyes for a long moment and then raised her own water glass in a toast.</p>
<p>"Thank you," Jo managed to say. She never <i>had</i> managed to accept compliments gracefully and somehow this one was sweeter than most.</p>
<p>+</p>
<p>After dinner, the party moved to the parlor. Jo sat by herself on the sofa. Writers were allowed to be eccentric and married women were invisible. Therefore, Jo didn't feel the slightest obligation to make polite conversation with anyone in the room.</p>
<p>Ida, however, was a young, desirable, unmarried woman, and was quite surrounded for most of the evening. She would make a good heroine, Jo supposed, and wondered if Mr. Dashwood had already picked out a husband for his sister.</p>
<p>Jo's thoughts were interrupted by Ida herself, who sat down next to Jo. "I have a confession, Mrs. Bhaer."</p>
<p>"Writers can't resist a secret," Jo said, turning to face Ida.</p>
<p>"I did enjoy your novel, but I fell in love with your first draft."</p>
<p>"My first–?" Though it was quite improper, Jo drew her legs up so she could fully turn and face Ida.</p>
<p>Ida leaned towards her. "Your heroine reading her novel out loud to her nieces and nephews, heading off to Europe, not a man in sight!"</p>
<p>"I'm told quite reliably that it was a most unsatisfactory ending."</p>
<p>"You can't listen to my brother."</p>
<p>Jo spread her hands. "And yet the book has sold and sold well."</p>
<p>"So you shall be off to Europe with your professor?"</p>
<p>And Jo leaned towards Ida. "I have a confession for you, Miss Dashwood."</p>
<p>The two women's foreheads were nearly touching. "Yes?"</p>
<p>"I may just leave him behind."</p>
<p>+</p>
<p>Before she left New York, Jo was determined to see her book in a bookstore. She had mentioned the desire to Ida, who quickly volunteered to take her to her favorite shop. The women walked arm-in-arm down the streets of New York, chatting the whole way.</p>
<p>"Look!" Ida said, as they drew near the bookstore.</p>
<p>In the window, copies of Jo's book were stacked high. As they watched, two young girls approached the window. The taller one pulled a book down and the two girls sank to the floor and bent over the book.</p>
<p>Jo raised her eyebrows at Ida. "Did you arrange this little scene for me?"</p>
<p>"No!" Ida squeezed Jo's arm. "People love your book, Mrs. Bhaer."</p>
<p>"You know that is not my name," Jo said.</p>
<p>"Miss March then."</p>
<p>"Jo."</p>
<p>"Then the rules of etiquette demand you call me Ida."</p>
<p>"Ida," Jo said slowly, feeling the shape of it in her mouth.</p>
<p>"Jo," Ida said.</p>
<p>The two women stood there for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes before Ida took a step back and dropped Jo's arm only to grab her hand instead.</p>
<p>"Follow me," she said, and led them into the bookstore.</p>
<p>+</p>
<p>"I wish I could go to Europe," Ida said.</p>
<p>Jo kept pushing back her departure date–Mr. Bhaer had no objections–and the two women had taken to meeting daily for long walks. Jo had remembered New York as being all but devoid of nature, but Ida had grown up there and knew where to find the trees and flowers Jo's heart longed for.</p>
<p>"Come with me," Jo said. The idea had been lingering in the back of her mind for days now. Laurie and Amy had given her recommendations for places to stay and sights to see, but their tastes were not at all Jo's. Ida had been to Europe and she would know exactly where to go.</p>
<p>Ida hesitated and Jo found a pang of sympathy for the Laurie of years ago. All of a sudden, all the world hung on Ida's reply.</p>
<p>"I wouldn't want to intrude," Ida said.</p>
<p>"I assure you," Jo said. "Professor Bhaer will not mind."</p>
<p>Ida laughed. "On your independence!"</p>
<p>Jo took up both of Ida's hands in hers. "Independence doesn't mean alone and I find myself quite longing for a companion."</p>
<p>Ida pulled her hands away. "In that case, I suggest placing an ad in the newspaper."</p>
<p>Jo recaptured Ida's hands. "For <i>you</i> then." </p>
<p>And now Jo was the one to drop Ida's hands, frightened at her own boldness.</p>
<p>But Ida reached for Jo's hands and held them in her own, tangling their fingers together. "Then I would love to."</p>
<p>+</p>
<p>Jo and Ida stood on the deck of the ship, watching New York fade away. As the last piece of land slipped out of sight, Jo shivered. She had done it. No Aunt March, no Professor Bhaer. Jo had made her way to Europe on her own.</p>
<p>She looked down at Ida and corrected herself. Not alone.</p>
<p>"I got the ending of the book wrong," Jo said.</p>
<p>"Is this when you tell me Professor Bhaer is fictional?" Ida said. "Because I've had my suspicions."</p>
<p>Jo laughed. "And here I was going to introduce you to his brother."</p>
<p>Ida smiled. "Perhaps you should. It might solve a difficulty or two."</p>
<p>Jo put that thought aside for now. She led Ida to a deck chair and they sat down, very close to each other.</p>
<p>"The ending of the first draft," Jo said. "I couldn't imagine anything better than traveling alone."</p>
<p>"And now?" Ida asked, her hands in her lap.</p>
<p>"Now," Jo said, reaching out to tilt Ida's chin up. "I can imagine something much better."</p>
<p>Ida leaned forward and the two women embraced. </p>
<p>"Yes," Ida murmured, quite a while later. "This is a <i>much</i> better ending."</p>
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